The wearable technology field is continuing to heat up with more and more companies entering it. One of those companies happens to be Epson, who has already made a foray into the world of smart glasses with the Moverio BT-100 smart glasses. Now Epson’s back with the Moverio BT-200 smart glasses, a new and improved version of its smart glasses. You probably haven’t heard of them so let’s rundown some of their highlights.

The BT-200s feature a full projected display that spans across both lenses, as well as a variety of sensors and a front-facing camera for motion tracking and augmented reality applications. The glasses are also 60% lighter than their predecessor and are also smaller, for improved comfort. Nonetheless, they still look quite nerdy to wear. But what these glasses have over many competitors is that they’re not only able to project over your entire vision, but they also have inserts for different shading, as with sunglasses, and inserts for prescription lenses.

While they’re obviously not for everyone, the BT-200s pack a lot of function. One of the downsides is that they do require the included controller for full functionality. Good news is that these glasses are less than half the price of Google Glass, at just $699. If you’re okay with having a separate control unit and not having the sleekest look, these could be an interesting option. Hit up the source link for more info and purchasing.

LONG BEACH, CA — May 6, 2014 — Epson® today announced the commercial availability of its award-winning second-generation Moverioâ„¢ BT-200 smart glasses, delivering an advanced, full-featured augmented reality platform for enterprise, Android app developers and early adopters. With an MSRP of $699.99, the Epson Moverio BT-200 smart glasses are currently available through Epson.com and prelaunch.com.

Leveraging Epson’s patented core technologies, the Moverio BT-200 offers an unparalleled binocular smart glasses experience optimized for augmented reality applications. Micro projectors located on each side of the eyeglasses project transparent overlays of digital content directly in the user’s field of view over the real-world environment. In addition, the Moverio BT-200 glasses contain sensors such as a gyroscope, accelerometer and magnetic compass for head-motion tracking and hands-free navigation. A front-facing camera for video and image capture also detects real-world markers for augmented reality (AR) applications.

AR smart glasses can improve worker efficiency in vertical markets such as healthcare, logistics, field service, energy, manufacturing, education, retail and more. Developers such as APX Labs and Metaio are already working with Epson and enterprises to incorporate the Moverio BT-200 smart glasses’ “see-through” augmented reality technology to allow for use cases such as retail and wholesale supply chain tracking, surgical training for doctors in the operating room, and remote field service support for complex repair assistance.

“Moverio BT-200 is Epson’s second-generation smart glasses and incorporates much of the feedback provided by both the AR developer and end-user communities,” said Anna Jen, director, New Ventures/New Products for Epson America. “With these improvements, Moverio BT-200 is poised to deliver an AR experience that will revolutionize workflow, training and repair in the enterprise environment.”

“Wearable technologies present a very compelling opportunity for those organizations that want to push the boundaries of innovative design and technology applications,” said Andrew Vaz, chief innovation officer, Deloitte Consulting LLP. “It’s crucial for organizations to build a baseline understanding of how wearables will impact the strategic drivers of their market, and find ways to use wearables in their businesses to gain competitive advantage.”

APX Labs built Skylight, the enterprise software platform for smart glasses which takes full advantage of the Moverio BT-200 capabilities. Skylight uses the front-facing camera to stream real-time video feeds, enabling workers to get instant expert help; it uses the powerful motion sensors to enable completely hands-free user interaction; and it uses the rich overlay display to provide data right where work is getting done.

“The Epson Moverio BT-200 is practical, affordable, and powerful enough to handle a wide range of important use cases,” said Ed English, chief product officer at APX Labs.

Epson is a global imaging and innovation leader whose product lineup ranges from inkjet printers and 3LCD projectors to sensors and other micro-devices. Dedicated to exceeding the vision of its customers worldwide, Epson delivers customer value based on compact, energy-saving, and high-precision technologies in markets spanning enterprise and the home to commerce and industry.

Led by the Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, the Epson Group comprises more than 73,000 employees in 94 companies around the world, and is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and the communities in which it operates. Epson America, Inc., based in Long Beach, Calif., is Epson’s regional headquarters for the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. To learn more about Epson, please visit: www.epson.com.

A nerd at heart, Nick is an average person who has a passion for all things electronic. When not spending his time writing about the latest gadgets, Nick enjoys reading, dabbling in photography, and experimenting with anything and everything coffee. Should you wish to know more about him, you can follow him on Twitter @Zricon15.